Pearl Seas Setback

Details

August 01, 2008

Pearl Seas Cruises is delayed yet again. And as for when the company’s first ship – which still has yet to be named – will sail is anyone’s guess.

The line’s “target date” is slated to be the beginning of the first quarter of 2009, according to a company source. However, its reservations department said that the first available booking for the company is July 18 – one year after originally planned. “The cruises aren’t sold; we just aren’t taking reservations because we don’t have the availability right now,” an agent explained.

Pearl Seas – an offshore affiliate of American Cruise Lines, Inc. – originally announced plans in late 2006 to build two new 210-passenger ships at Irving Shipbuilding in Halifax. The first ship was scheduled to begin cruise service in July 2008 – and the second, June 2009. However, in April, the date for the first ship was pushed back to November. There was no word on the status of the second ship at press time. Jack Berglund, vice president of marketing and sales at the Halifax shipyard refused to comment on either of the ships. “I can’t answer any questions about the Pearl Seas, and I can’t be any clearer than that,” he said.